AAPL vs. QQQ
AAPL (Apple Inc) is a stock, while QQQ (Invesco QQQ ETF) is Nasdaq-100 fund tracking the NASDAQ-100 Index. Over the past 10 years, AAPL returned 30.39%/yr vs 20.31%/yr for QQQ. Their 0.67 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently.
Performance
AAPL vs. QQQ - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, AAPL achieves a 24.16% return, which is significantly higher than QQQ's 11.30% return. Over the past 10 years, AAPL has outperformed QQQ with an annualized return of 30.39%, while QQQ has yielded a comparatively lower 20.31% annualized return.
AAPL
- 1D
- 1.17%
- 1M
- 18.72%
- 6M
- 32.15%
- YTD
- 24.16%
- 1Y
- 58.15%
- 3Y*
- 20.38%
- 5Y*
- 18.98%
- 10Y*
- 30.39%
- ALL TIME*
- 19.53%
QQQ
- 1D
- -0.31%
- 1M
- -3.45%
- 6M
- 9.32%
- YTD
- 11.30%
- 1Y
- 21.02%
- 3Y*
- 21.87%
- 5Y*
- 13.95%
- 10Y*
- 20.31%
- ALL TIME*
- 10.61%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
AAPL Apple Inc | $16.27B | $16.05B | $16.70B |
| $26.03B | $26.83B | $30.68B |
AAPL vs. QQQ - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AAPL Apple Inc | 24.16% | 9.05% | 30.71% | 49.01% | -26.40% | 34.65% | 82.31% | 88.96% | -5.39% | 48.46% |
QQQ Invesco QQQ ETF | 11.30% | 20.77% | 25.58% | 54.86% | -32.58% | 27.42% | 48.62% | 38.96% | -0.13% | 32.66% |
Correlation
The correlation between AAPL and QQQ is 0.39, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.39 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.52 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.68 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.73 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 10, 1999 | 0.67 |
Over the past year, the correlation between AAPL and QQQ has dropped to 0.39 - well below their long-term average of 0.67, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
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Return for Risk
AAPL vs. QQQ — Risk / Return Rank
AAPL
QQQ
AAPL vs. QQQ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Apple Inc (AAPL) and Invesco QQQ ETF (QQQ). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| AAPL | QQQ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.24 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.62 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.42 | 1.20 | +0.22 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 4.24 | 1.76 | +2.47 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.07 | 5.93 | +4.15 |
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Drawdowns
AAPL vs. QQQ - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum AAPL drawdown since its inception was -81.80%, roughly equal to the maximum QQQ drawdown of -82.97%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AAPL and QQQ.
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Drawdown Indicators
| AAPL | QQQ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -81.80% | -82.97% | +1.17% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.80% | -11.96% | -1.84% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -33.36% | -22.77% | -10.59% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -33.36% | -35.12% | +1.76% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -38.52% | -35.12% | -3.40% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -8.48% | +8.48% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -29.53% | -32.63% | +3.10% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.79% | 3.55% | +2.24% |
Volatility
AAPL vs. QQQ - Volatility Comparison
Apple Inc (AAPL) has a higher volatility of 8.36% compared to Invesco QQQ ETF (QQQ) at 6.66%. This indicates that AAPL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than QQQ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| AAPL | QQQ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.36% | 6.66% | +1.70% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 19.31% | 15.62% | +3.69% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 24.83% | 19.00% | +5.83% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 27.82% | 22.84% | +4.98% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 29.03% | 22.47% | +6.56% |
Dividends
AAPL vs. QQQ - Dividend Comparison
AAPL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.31%, less than QQQ's 0.44% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AAPL Apple Inc | 0.31% | 0.38% | 0.40% | 0.49% | 0.70% | 0.49% | 0.61% | 1.04% | 1.79% | 1.45% | 1.93% | 1.93% |
QQQ Invesco QQQ ETF | 0.44% | 0.45% | 0.56% | 0.62% | 0.80% | 0.43% | 0.55% | 0.74% | 0.91% | 0.84% | 1.06% | 0.99% |
Frequently Asked Questions
AAPL and QQQ have a correlation of 0.39, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
AAPL has higher volatility (8.36%) compared to QQQ (6.66%). In terms of maximum drawdown, AAPL dropped -81.80% vs QQQ's -82.97%.
AAPL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.36 vs 1.11), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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